"ESPN announced today that Stephen A. Smith will not appear on First Take or ESPN Radio for the next week. He will return to ESPN next Wednesday," said the network in a statement posted on its Front Row website. A network spokesperson did not elaborate on the statement posted on the website.

Smith had previously apologized for the remarks on Monday, saying that they constituted "the most egregious error of my career."

On Friday's show, Smith waded into discussing the suspension of Rice by talking about women and domestic violence.

"But what I've tried to employ the female members of my family, some of who you all met and talked to and what have you, is that again, and this what, I've done this all my life, let's make sure we don't do anything to provoke wrong actions," Smith said, as quoted by Deadspin, which flagged the video that drew attention to the host's comments.

The ESPN host faced a barrage of criticism on social media, including from his co-worker Michelle Beadle, a SportsNation host, who wrote a series of tweets criticizing Smith's comments.

So I was just forced to watch this morning's First Take. A) I'll never feel clean again B) I'm now aware that I can provoke my own beating.